Jimmy Campagna’s face is a familiar one to patrons of the now-closed CVS (formerly Campagna’s Pharmacy) at State and Wood Streets. But what you probably did not know is that Campagna is a master pizzelle baker, the Sicilian cookie that is associated with the holidays but delicious all year long.

Pizzelles originated from the ancient practice of baking thin, flat cakes on heated stones, then evolved into the crisp, intricately patterned cookies known today. Influenced by the cultures that have touched Sicilian shores, pizzelles incorporate distinctive ingredients like citrus zest, almond, and anise. Traditionally prepared using irons with family crests or regional designs, these cookies are more than just a treat; they are a celebration of family, festivity, and the sharing of Sicilian culture with the world.

Campagna’s recipe came straight from Argento, Sicily, through his grandmother’s kitchen.

“The recipe came from my mother's mother,” he said. “They came over from Sicily and they lived in Warwick. It was a small house with a narrow kitchen and my grandmother would be standing there and she'd be making them one by one in a cast iron press on the gas stove.”

“We would come in the house and the aroma was amazing,” he continued. “Cousins, grandkids, we’d eat them as soon as they would come off the stove and she couldn't keep up. That's the same recipe I use and and a lot of people comment that there is just something different about these. I’m not giving the recipe away, but will confirm, there is is something different…I’ve been making them for 40 years and I love making them.”

So much so, that holidays would find him making as many as 100 trays of pizzelles to share with friends and family. It finally got him to consider the option of introducing them to an even wider audience.

“Over the years people have always said, you know, you should sell these things, and I finally decided that the time was right,” he said.

Thanks to Rhode Island’s “Cottage Food” law, enacted in 2022, Rhode Islanders may now create foods in residential kitchens for direct-to-consumer sales. The license regulates the types of products that can be made, the kitchen must meet certain requirements, and the producer is required to be certified in food safety. The passage of the law brought Rhode Island in line with 48 other states and the District of Columbia. New Jersey is the only state that does not permit the sale of cottage foods.

“It makes for a great opportunity to get started without a lot of expenses, and build the business from there,” said Campagna.

Launched just last year, Jimmy C’s Authentic Italian Cookies is doing a booming business. A recent weekday afternoon found Campagna in his kitchen manning a row of cast iron pizzelle presses. It’s a quick process that he has mastered well (provided an interruption doesn’t pull his attention from the task at hand.) The thin cookies finish quickly in the searing heat of the irons; slight variations in color, size, and shape are testament to the small batch, handmade nature of Jimmy C’s pizzelles. Today, he is fulfilling orders for Administrative Professionals Day.

Small bulk orders for corporate gift-giving, birthday parties, church events, and the like make up most of Campagna’s business. He’s done a pop-up event with Vigilant Brewing and is hoping for more opportunities to collaborate with other local businesses. He’s signed up to participate in local farmer’s markets, and he’s also quite happy to fulfill smaller, individual orders. When he’s not making pizzelles, he’s researching the calendar for marketing opportunities.

“Nurses’ week is coming up; I reached out to a lot of nursing homes and they're all very excited about it,” he said. “It's a great personal gift, not expensive, but a nice way to show employee recognition.”

He’s been doing some experimenting with different varieties, working on perfecting a lemon flavor and planning to offer some that have been partly dipped in chocolate, and others in the shape of ice cream sundae cups.

“You know, there's a lot of different things you can do with a pizzelle,” said Campagna. “Most people have it with coffee or tea. You can break it up and put it over ice cream, or yogurt — it is absolutely delicious.”

You can order Jimmy C’s pizzelles online at www.jccookies.com, or, if you’d prefer, simply call him at 401-743-7017.